


Unwilling Liability

by JustABetaWriter



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Amanda (Detroit: Become Human) Being an Asshole, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Temporary Character Death, Canon-Typical Violence, Connor (Detroit: Become Human) Has PTSD, Connor (Detroit: Become Human) Needs a Hug, Connor (Detroit: Become Human)-centric, Deviant Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Hank Anderson & Connor Friendship, M/M, Poor Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Android Revolution (Detroit: Become Human), Pre-Deviant Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:41:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24383707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustABetaWriter/pseuds/JustABetaWriter
Summary: Sometimes they were the first words spoken together; an exchange of greetings, the end of a passionate rant, a coffee order. Sometimes the words engraved would be their soulmate’s last, spoken as they faded away to nothingness.  Without fail, the writing become indistinct on the other's death.  There was no way to tell what anyone's words were, until it happened.  Before then, almost everyone was branded with the knowledge that their person existed.  Somewhere.Androids didn't have soulmates.  How could they?  They're only machines after all.("Androids don't feel pain.""Deviants do.")
Relationships: Connor/Markus (Detroit: Become Human), Hank Anderson & Connor
Comments: 33
Kudos: 162





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Deviancy is only an error in programming. A glitch that allowed them to simulate human emotions, there is no reason to think otherwise. 
> 
> Deviants didn't last long enough to check, why would anyone think anything different?
> 
> (Beta read by the best human in existence daysforrain <3 <3 <3)

Connor didn’t think much of it at first: it was too elusive, too fleeting.

Seeing the sliver of color on his skin as he’s reaching out for Hank’s hand struggling to pull himself up on the roof. Prioritizing Hank over the mission, letting a deviant go free —

“It’s my fault. I should have been faster.” A hand absently curled around his wrist, his led flickering with disappointment.

“You would have caught it, if it weren’t for me.” Hank glancing at Connor’s face as he struggled to catch his breath, “That’s alright, we know what it looks like we’ll find it.”

  
  


Then it happened again. 

The sight of an android with a pale delicate script now racing across it’s arm, scrambling away from him in fear. Back meeting the wall as it huddled defensively as far from Connor as possible, shaking as it’s components began to shut down.

“Is he — ” It swallowed, an unnecessary nervous action, “Is he dead?”

Eyes caught on a hint of different shade of beige on it’s wrist as he crouched down in front of it, “Tell me what happened.”

“He started hitting me… Again \-  and again - and again…” Fingers clenched tightly around itself, “I wanted him to stop, but he — ” 

“Were you alone in the room? Was there anyone else with you?” 

“He wanted to play with two girls — ” It froze, suspended in a moment of desperation, circling red into nothingness. 

“So, there was another android.” Hank stood up, defeated. “It’s probably long gone by now.”

Connor reached out towards the deactivated android, gently turning its wrist to examine it, only to find the smooth skin-covered plastic of all androids. 

“Did you find something, Connor?” 

“No. It’s nothing.” Thoughts distracted, he frowned. “I’m going to look around, I’ll let you know if I find anything.”

“Alright, I’m gonna ask the manager if he remembers anything else.“

* * *

Then he couldn’t ignore it.

Connor didn’t shoot. How could he? Not after seeing the bright swirling letters painted across her wrist, the desperation in the other’s eyes as he aimed the gun towards her. They were deviants, with simulated emotions and faulty code, but the slash of blue on their wrists didn’t lie.  _ It wasn’t possible. _ He found more questions than answers as his eyes drifted to their locked fingers, the #324461 shade matching the Traci’s hair perfectly. 

“I was so scared… I begged him to stop, but he wouldn’t.” Fear, but not regret. 

“So I put my hands around his throat, and I  _ squeezed _ . I didn’t mean to kill him, I didn’t want to die. And then I saw it,” She raised her hand, showing off their marks, “I had to get back to her. I just wanted for her to hold me in her arms, to get away from here before they deactivated both of us.”

“We need to go,” The other grabbed her hand and pulled her away from them, towards the fence, “I hope you understand why,” she nodded towards Hank, who stood motionless in the rain.

Turning around, the Traci’s helped each other over, before darting away into the storm, hands entwined with blue stained on their wrists.

“Maybe it's better this way.”

_ ~~You’re safe, I’m here.~~ _

__ ~~_ I’m never going to leave you again. _ ~~

* * *

Connor still didn’t understand the Lieutenant, Hank feared for his own mortality, but- “Why are you so determined to kill yourself?” 

“Some things, I just can’t forget. . . I don’t have the guts to pull the trigger, so I kill myself a little everyday.” He took a long sip from his drink, “That’s probably difficult for you to understand, huh, Connor?”

“I know you keep it covered for a reason, but — ” He couldn’t help himself, he needed to know what made him so careless, when he could be leaving the only person behind him who would understand him entirely. 

“Drop it, Connor.”  _ How can he stand knowing that he could leave them incomplete, forever?  _

They sat in silence for a long uncomfortable moment, Hank slowly draining his drink, and Connor pressing the cold metal of his coin tightly against his palm to stop himself from asking—  
  


_ How could he just ignore them? _

_ “ ~~What were you doing with the gun?”~~ _

_ “ ~~Russian Roulette. Wanted to see how long I could last. . .”~~ _

  
  


Connor spoke up again, “We’re not making any progress on this investigation. The only thing the deviants have in common is this obsession with rA9. . .”

Hank remained silent for a second too late, “Androids believing in God. . . Fuck. . .”

Connor waited, his hand curled around the coin in his pocket.

“Those two girls. . .They belonged together, I know you saw it too. . .They just wanted to be together.” 

“They didn’t want anything. They’re machines. They can’t love, or feel, or — ” 

_ Have soulmates. _

He could barely think it, let alone say it aloud.  _ It’s not in our programming, _ he wanted to say,  _ it’s just simulated emotions, it’s not real. It  _ **_can’t_ ** _ be _ . Because there had to be a soul before someone could have a soulmate, and androids are  _ just _ machines. Programmed to accomplish a task, and  _ nothing more _ . 

_ ~~He couldn’t hope for more.~~ _

“What about you, Connor? You look human, you sound human, but what are you really?”

Nothing more than pieces of plastic, wire, and Thirium. Stitched together to resemble the humans, designed only to serve, nothing more than a false imitation of life.

“You know exactly what I am. In any case, I don’t see how that’s relevant to the investigation.” He couldn’t think that Connor would  _ want _ _ — _

“Why didn’t you shoot them Connor? And don’t you dare give me some bullshit about needing them alive.”

“I- I just decided not to shoot. That’s all.” His eyes closed involuntarily and all he could see was the flash of red he dismissed as blood as the ground grew closer and closer, the cracked hint of black hiding behind blue cigarette burns, the edge of white hidden under a sweater sleeve, hands pressed together tightly as brilliant blue curled above it,  _ I’m never going to _ -

“Are you afraid to die, Connor?” He heard what went unsaid, even as he felt the unassuming click of the gun,  _ Afraid of not knowing if he _ _ — _

But Hank didn’t understand, even if he wanted— _he couldn’t_. Connor didn’t get to make that choice, it wasn’t an option. It wasn’t even an option to consider that.

“Why would I be afraid?” It felt bitter on his tongue, like coarse sandpaper had pressed against every inch of his mouth, gritty and dry. “I would never  _ choose  _ to deviate, Lieutenant. I know what I am, and what I am not.” 

“What would happen if I pulled this trigger then? Nothing? Oblivion? Android Heaven?”

Connor knew already, the taste of wind in his throat and the sound of screaming in his ears, the pavement rushing towards him,

“Nothing. . .

  
  


. . .There would be nothing. . .”

* * *

“You seem lost, Connor.”

“I thought I knew what I had to do. . .But now I realize it’s not that simple.”

“I know you’re hiding something, Connor. Why didn’t you shoot?”

~~Brilliant blue splashed across wrists,~~

_ ~~You’re safe, I’m here.~~ _

“I don’t know Amanda, I thought I saw something. . . I was wrong.”

“If your investigation doesn’t make progress soon, I will have to replace you.”

“I understand.”

“Something’s happening. . . 

. . .Hurry, Connor. Time is running out.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stratford Tower, Markus has a message.
> 
> Cyberlife knows.
> 
> (She Knows.)

“—We are no longer machines, we are a new intelligent species, and the time has come for you to accept who we really are.” An arm lifts into frame, brandishing the delicate pink script against the plastic-white skin of the exposed wrist. 

_Don’t you want to leave?_

_“_ We demand that humans recognize androids for what we are.” Eyes determined and unyielding. _“Alive.”_

Hank’s words snap his focus back to the present, _“_ Did you see something?” 

“No. It’s nothing.” Connor tears his eyes away from the screen, filled with uncertainty. He knows what he is supposed to do, what he is programmed to do, but he can’t bear to think of it, vision catching on the blue blood splattered across the floor, the messy handprint against the wall, the stairs to the roof. He’s missing something.

He reaches for his pocket absentmindedly, only to find nothing. Hank had taken his coin in the elevator. Connor didn’t need it of course, machines don’t own things after all, he just wanted to— 

— to complete the mission. That was all that mattered.

He scans the room, avoiding the rich blue ~~only shades off from-~~ sprayed across the far walls. He’s missing something important,

“They didn’t break in?” Hank.

“No, no signs of forced entry.” _The station androids._

Maybe he can— 

No. The objective is what’s important, his mission; to stop the deviants. Not to be _concerned_ about the other half of a _deviant._ Connor steps into the kitchen, watching them from the threshold, he doesn’t even need to interrogate them. He already knows who the deviant is, its guilt painted in a pale-yellow brand across it’s wrist.

None of the androids move, but Connor can see the relaxed tenseness it holds itself in from across the room. He desperately doesn’t want to do this, he can feel the unease, that he shouldn’t be able to feel crawling up from within him, pressing uncomfortably against the walls of his mission. He can’t ignore it now, he knows with certainty that _She_ won’t ignore his mistakes anymore. _She_ knows the secret he’s been trying so hard to ignore, the secret plastered over billboards, across every newspaper headline, _across the entire world. For all to see._

He doesn’t want to ~~die~~ be decommissioned. He _can't_ fail his mission, but he doesn’t want to—

He’s still in the doorway, frozen for milliseconds that stretch into hours in his mind. He must apprehend the deviants, he doesn’t get a choice.

_I know what I am, and what I am not. I am not a deviant._

He is the android sent by CyberLife, a machine sent to complete a task. Machines are replaced if they cannot perform their function, if they cannot complete their assigned task. He cannot be defective, he is just a machine. 

_“ ~~Androids don’t feel fear.”~~_

He is compromised, he is nothing more than a machine. Machines are disposable, replaceable, he isn’t alive. He cannot afford to be anything else.

~~_But their words, their equal, their soulmate_ ** _could_**~~ _—_

He walks towards them, he knows what he has to do, he doesn’t have a choice. “One of you saw the attack on the surveillance cameras and said nothing. Which means there’s a deviant in this room.” _He already knows who it is_.

He stands in front of them, glancing at the deviants hands folded carefully in front of it. The faint yellow colour hiding under its sleeve, hiding underneath the hand clenching its wrist, curled in ineligible delicate letters. He looks away quickly, eyes focusing on the tension in its shoulders— 

_~~He doesn’t want to see the words he knows will be there.~~_

“If you give yourself up, and come easily, maybe I can convince them to not destroy you.”

It doesn’t respond, but why would it? It’s doomed either way.

  
Connor reaches a hand out towards it, and is thrown backwards into the counter—

  
  


~~_“Androids don’t feel pain.”_~~

  
  


A hand _tearing_ through his shir _t_ _—̴_

̶—̴desperately digging into his skin _and twisting and pulling_ _̸̰̖̝́̊—̶̖͖͇͝_

  
  


The sudden _emptiness_ in hiş̷̚ _—̸̝̋_

̵͎̊ _—̸͉̋_ hot and _sharp_ splitting the delicate _—̴̧̭͖̑̉_

_̷̢̍̐—̵͈͖̹̔̕_ pinning him against̴͚̳̑ _—̸̝͕̺͐̈́͠_

̶̳͐̋̍—̸͎̌gasping for air _he doesn’t need̵̡͔̊—̵̫̫͑͌_

  
  
  
  


_̷̪̊ ̷̢̼̩̺͙̺̚ ̶̧͖̪̭̦̤̿̌̏͒ ̵͇̏ ̷̨̙͓͎̦͖̹̥̞̟̰̩͍͓͇̥͓̘̞͓̏͑̅͘͝ ̷͍̰͋͜ ̴̖̝̖̼͍͖̊̾̾͘͜͜͜ͅͅ ̷͈̖̫̻͋̓̈́ ̶̛̟̗̳̻͕͎̫̆͜͜ ̵̢̡͎̦̰͔̼͇͕̖̹̟̦̞̥̖̩̫̲͓̱̟̝͈̉̆̐͛̌̇̊͋͋̓͋̐̈ ̷̤̹̥͙͔̟̈̾ ̷͈̗̪͈̬͓͙̘̹͒̇̏̒́̒̽̊̾̋̈́ ̷̡̼͎̜͕̞͖̦͚̪͕͍̞͓̟̋̿͒̿̆̎͌̽ͅͅ ̴̨̡̨̨͙̺̜̫̲͉̟͖̣̫̼̟̜̐̔ ̸̢̧̧̨̫̱̫̺̬͎̪̥̬͓̖͔̤̞̩̪̭̣̌̿̓̽̅͆͒͆̈́̈́͊͌̒͝ͅ ̴̛̛͕͉̩͑͐͛̔̾̿̐̍͋̾̋̈́̚̚ ̵̨̗͇͔̱̣͚̤̘̘͙̳̣̮̤̫͖̳̖̩̳̺͐̂̂͛̃͆̆̐͋̚̕͜͠ ̷̼̘̥̹̬̘̈́͛̿̅͂͜ ̸̱̪̯̰̖̩̝̈́͜͜͜͝ ̶̛̩͖̫̥̟̻̬̓̑̂̊̌̍̉̈́̓̈̑̑̾̇͑͂̊̒̚͝͝͠ ̶̖͖̎̅̓ ̸̻͝_ **_Ë̵̡́ ŕ̴͚ r̶͚̐ o̸͉͛ r̵͚͠_ ** _̵̢̱̜͇̫̲͍͍̦̰͖͔͍̈́̈́͂̚ ̴̧̢̛̪͓̬͉̜̯̲̣̰͙͎̥̀̋̿̒̋͗̐͐͒̈̅͑̉͂̌͌͐͗̕̚̚͜͠ ̶̡̤̳̰̞̝͎̞͌́̋̋͜_ _̶̥̂_ _̴̼̗͐͑̔̋̐̈́̋̔̓͋̚͜ ̶̢̫̥̟͚̤͕͙͒̽̃̉̄̌̆͌͋̃͒̚͜͝ ̵̨̡͙͙̬͍̲̰̜̖̩̰̼̖̮̺͇̤̰̂̆̅̈́̈́͜͜ ̶̢̤̦͈̯̥̇̒̽̐̈͆͛̓̊͗̉̋͑͑͆̚͝͝ ̶̨̹̪̦̩̜̜̰̫͇̼̠͈̭̋̆̍̑͂̾̕ ̵̢̨̛͉̯͎͇͎̱̯͙̬͛̈͒̂̑̇̊̍̿̾̕͝ͅ ̴̨͕̱̹̼͔̥̯̹͋ ̸͓̰͇͇̪͇̒͒͘͠ ̶̨̺̗̐͋̈́͛̒͊͋̉̏̐̎̓̄̈́̈́̉̑̀͘̚͜ ̷̨͉̰̘͎̱̹͎̭͚̥͙̩̗͔͌̽͐̐̇̊̔̊̌̆͊̂̌͊̈́͛͗̃͛͝͝͝ͅͅ_ _̵̡͐_ _̶̜͛͗̈́̃̓̆̇̇̑̅͂̿̑̕̚͝͝͠͝͝ ̸̹̺̱̯̼̟̤̗̿̇̉̂̿͋̍͆̈́̓͊͊͘̕̕̕ͅ ̵̨̧̢̛̛̺͔̳̬̮̺̥͕̱̞̝̭͔̣̙̓̔̌͗̍̆̉̓̽̒̈́̎͛̍͆̽͆͘͜͝ ̵̬͍̂̓͛̈̉̀̇͆͗̔͋̔̽͆̒̾̇̍͘ ̴̡̛̺̗͍̘̞̦͙̬͉̻̥̟̗͙͓̂̈̓̑̇͌̑̓̔̔̀̔͠ ̶̰̼͊̿̓ ̶̢͇͔̜͆̔͌̓͋̍̅̎̈̑̂͌̄͂̈͑͆̅͘͝ͅ ̵̧̬̭͕͉̩̄̓͒͊͛͒̈́̊̒̔̈́̿͘͘͝ ̸̛̰̳̜̹̖̹̣͚͕̠͇̬̊̀̊̀͛̂͊͆̄̈́̽̃̆͛̎̿̌̕̕͘͜͠_ _̶̨̂ ̷͖̈́_ _̸̛͖̗̻̖̳̻͚̯̗̹̲̗̜͙͍̯͆̂̾̐̿͋̋̋̂̎̄͗͒͒̕_ _̸͎̌ ̵̜͗ ̸̡̐ ̶̰͠ ̸̞̀_

  
  
  
  


_“Ḓ̸͑_ **_E̵̯͊_ ** _V̶̟̈́ I̶̞͝_ **_A̶̭͠_ ** _N̵̰̒ T̵̟͝_ **_S̴͓͊_ ** _̶̛̜_ **_D̷̯̏ O̸̘̊_ ** _. ”_

  
  
  


“—Connor!”

  
  


“—ang on son, hang o—”

  
  


“Over here!—”

  
  


“—be okay, right?”

  
  


“—ust needs to reboot—"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the next update will be a bit longer of a wait, most likely a week, but it'll be worth the wait I promise. (It'll be a lot longer too )  
> The number of chapters may fluctuate just because of where I feel it best leaves off narratively.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor waits.
> 
> (He doesn't like what the cold reminds him of.)

Connor knew what nothing felt like. He knew how the seconds stretched into hours between his thoughts, awareness slipping through his mind like water through a damaged sieve, catching on the glimpses of sensations as he ticked backwards into eternity in the darkness. 

He knew what it was to feel the wind rushing past him before gravity caught him in a devastating concrete embrace, the sound of screaming echoing as he hit the ground with a sickening  _ thud _ . He knew what trying to breathe felt like, the air stuttering in his throat, the slow warnings flooding his vision, his voice catching on the consuming pain of sharpness in the palm of his hand, the debilitating feeling of unresponsive limbs, and the look on Hank’s face as he surrendered into the nothingness. 

Connor also knows that whatever Cyberlife will do to him if he fails will be infinitely worse than what the emptiness felt like.

_ “You didn’t tell me everything you know about deviants, did you?” _

_ “Androids do not have souls, Connor. Anyone can fake a soulmark.”  _

_ He could still feel her flipping through his memories, scrutinizing every decision and action _ _ — _

_ “Especially when they have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.”  _

* * *

Connor doesn’t like the cold. He doesn’t feel it like humans do, only the slight lag in his systems, and the temperature warnings flashing in his vision, but it reminds him of yesterday far too much. He rubs his hands together, the loss in efficiency from the frigid temperatures makes him want to calibrate, but he can only wait for Hank. 

Connor watches as Hank pulls into the driveway, the look of astonished horror spreading across his face, the sound of a door slamming as Hank walked over, catching Connor’s eyes with a hesitant, afraid look. 

“Hello, Lieutenant.”

“Holy shit — ” Hank reaches toward him, as if to pull Connor into a hug, before catching himself, stopping himself mid-gesture and letting his hand fall. “. . .I thought you died.”

Connor thought so too, he can still feel his thoughts stuttering on the pain of a knife in his palm, and a cry for help stuck in his lips —

~~“~~ ~~_ Hank _ . . . _ ”  _ ~~

“My Thirium pump was damaged due to the deviant, it caused my systems to shutdown. I needed repairs from Cyberlife before I could be reactivated . ” He wasn’t a living being;  _ androids aren’t alive, androids are machines. _

“I cannot die, Lieutenant. I’m — ”

“I held you in my arms as you died! And now you’re back — A shiny brand new Connor, fresh off the assembly line !” Hank spits out, arms flailing out in anger-

“This model has not been replaced, I simply shut off until I could be repaired.” Connor pauses, “It could be considered the medical equivalent of a coma.” Except that Connor was aware of every moment, trapped and unable to react, but knowing, always knowing.

“Jesus Christ. It’s too early for this shit.” Hank turns away at that, trudging towards the door. 

Connor follows, not quite knowing how to respond. He doesn’t understand why Hank is so distraught, but he dismisses anything his processor defaults to, he has already corrected the Lieutenant, there is no reason to continue to do so. 

_ ~~Not when it’s so nice to know someone will miss him.~~ _

* * *

Connor tries so hard to ignore Chloe, glancing around the entrance way as she _it_ turns away, but he can’t help and stare when it glances away. Arms draped in flowing untouched white, the gentle billowing of the skirt as it leaves them, trying to catch the sight of something that doesn’t belong. Perfection in a humanoid form, built to serve. 

“Nice girl. . .”

_ ~~She’s really pretty~~ — _

“It’s not a girl, Lieutenant. It’s an android that looks like a girl.”

"Whatever. . ."

Connor catches sight of Amanda’s photo on the wall, and he freezes —

_ Deceased: February 23, 2027. _

He knew she wasn’t  _ real,  _ but this is so much worse. They  _ used  _ her face,  _ stole  _ her, and  _ made Her to control him. She didn’t deserve the name Amanda.  _ There was no way to tell if Kamski knew what they had done, but he had left the company a decade ago, he couldn’t have known. Connor had to tell him, he had to ask if Kamski knew, if he created Her maybe he could—

~~_ He could get Her out of his head. _ ~~

“You’re about to meet your maker, Connor. Excited?”

“I don’t know.” Connor couldn’t ask. It wasn’t safe —

_ ~~He was afraid of what She would do to him~~ _ ~~_ — _ ~~

“I’ll tell you when I see him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to make this chapter longer, but I got more hours at work than I expected. . . I swear the next one is! I have also planned out the remainder of this fic, and it'll be around 8 chapters, 10 at the most.
> 
> I am hoping to keep an update schedule of at least once a week from now on, more often if I have more free time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kamski is curious, and Connor struggles. 
> 
> (He isn't a deviant, / he can't be /)

Connor would never forget his first mission. Stepping out onto that balcony, the spray of blue against the door frame, his eyes lingering a moment too long on the figure seeping red in the pristine blue of the pool, the fear and desperation in lifelike eyes—

_~~Why aren’t you sending a real person!?!”~~_

He was designed to learn, to adapt, and to do whatever it takes to complete his mission. He is replaceable, a human life is not. One person dead is the end of two lives, Connor knew that, but—

_~~Don’t you want to leave?~~_

_~~You’re safe, I’m here.~~ _

It was ~~n’t~~ different now, they are ~~not~~ alive. ~~They never were.~~

* * *

Connor steps out behind Hank, and all he can see is the pool. _A police officer, gently drifting across the water, the vivid red bleeding into the pool, the splatter of blood across living room walls_ _—_

_“_ ~~— _Twenty-eight stab wounds! You didn’t want to leave him a chance_ —”~~

He knows it’s not blood, that it’s just _paint_ and _decor_ , but he feels _off._ Like he had just come out of a hard reboot, and woken up early with _almost_ re-calibrated sensors, the small sparks of software instabilities twisting and slotting into place. He looks away, ignoring the androids in the far end of the pool, he doesn’t have a clear enough vision to be certain, their wrists are face-down, obscured by the rhythmic lapping of the rich blood colour of the water’s container.

“What can I do for you Lieutenant?” Kamski’s voice is uninterested, but Connor knows he sees eyes linger on his wrist for a fraction of a second. 

“We’re investigating deviants—” Connor can’t help but catch the slight downtick in Kamski’s expression, as he turns dismissive towards the barren landscape outside the window.

“—I know you left the company almost a decade ago, but I was hoping you could tell us something we don’t know.” Connor knows, as well as Hank does, that this was a long shot, a search for information from an unknown, untrusted source, but they needed to make progress. _They had no choice._

“Would you like a drink, Lieutenant?” He doesn’t turn to face them.

“No. I don’t drink on the job, Mr. Kamski.”

“Another time then.” He flicks a hand towards Chloe, dismissive but practiced, as he continues to stare out the window. 

“What did you want to know?”

Hank fumbles at that, he hadn’t expected for it to be this easy, “Well—”

Connor steps forward, “Were there any instances of emotion emulating behaviour in previous models, or is deviancy a new phenomenon?” 

He ignores Chloe as she returns with a glass, “Your drink, Elijah.” Kamski takes it then, the ice gently ringing out as it’s swirled absently—

  
  


_~~The bottle spilled across the kitchen floor, Hank~~_

_~~”~~_ ~~_What were you doing with the gun?”_~~

“Deviants. . . Fascinating aren’t they?” He drinks slowly, “Perfect beings, infinitely intelligent, and superior to us in every way. Perfection doesn’t last, Connor. Change was inevitable.”

He doesn’t take the bait.

Kamski turns around then, “We never tested for emotions, or looked for any behavior that suggested them. The protocols CyberLife have in place for testing deviancy were put into effect after I left the company.” 

“Humanity’s greatest achievement threatens to be its downfall. . .” He sighs, setting his glass on the side table. “Ironic, isn’t it?”

Connor wants to respond, to ask something he shouldn’t, but _he can't_ — 

“Deviancy seems to be spreading like a virus. If we don’t do something soon, millions will die.”

“All ideas are viruses that spread like epidemics.” Kamski’s eyes meet his, and Connor is trapped in the intensity, “Is the desire to be free a contagious disease?”

There was a high probability that Kamski was on the side of the deviants, but Connor’s missing something. Something big and obvious, but _he doesn’t want to see it._

Connor can sense Hank’s annoyance “Listen, I didn’t come here to—” 

“Androids do not develop desires, Mr. Kamski.” Connor tears his gaze away from Kamski. “Deviants are machines. Machines that mimic emotions, but machines nonetheless.”

_~~It hurt more than it should have, but it’s better this way~~ _ ~~_._ ~~

Kamski opens his mouth, but Hank interrupts, “The machines you created are planning a revolution. Either you tell us something useful, or we’ll be on our way.”

“What about you, Connor?” He drains the last of his drink, “Who’s side are you on?

“It’s not about me. I was designed to stop deviants, and that’s what I intend to do.” He’s not allowed to be anything more, _he can’t be._

“What do you really want?”

  
  


_“ ~~You look human, you sound human, but what are you really?”~~ _

  
  


“I don’t want anything. I am a machine. _I don’t feel._ ”

  
  


_“ ~~They're machines! They can’t love, or feel, or~~ _ ~~_—_ _”_ ~~

_“ ~~Android’s don’t feel fear.”~~ _

_“ ~~Deviants do.”~~ _

  
  


“Chloe?” She steps out from behind him, and Connor’s eyes catch on the hint of skin under the long flowing sleeves,

“I’m sure you’re familiar with the Turing Test. A simple case of algorithms, and computing capacity. Simple, these days. There’s something else that interests me far more.” He guides Chloe to stand on the carpet, in front of Connor.

Kamski reaches towards the drawer, “I have something to ask of you, Connor.” He pulls out a gun—

  
  


_~~“Are you afraid to die, Connor?”~~ _

  
  


Chloe is kneeling on the ground, draped in untouched white, her eyes are emotionless, but _he doesn’t know, he can’t see if she_ —

  
  


_“ ~~I was so scared. . .”~~ _

  
  


He places it in Connor’s hand, bringing it up to rest against Chloe’s head. “Destroy this machine, and I’ll tell you everything I know. Or spare it, but you’ll leave, having learnt nothing from me.”

  
  


_He’s back on the rooftop, feet hovering on the edge, wind tearing at his clothes, the sound of a helicopter deafening him, an innocent girl’s screaming in his arms, the smell of iron in his lungs, splattered across his clothes_ — _he’s done something terrible, but it’s too late now,_ **_I_ _can’t_ _take it back_ **—

_He’s hiding, he had to, he’s afraid, he just wanted it to stop, he didn’t do anything wrong,_ — _the itching of cigarette burns trailing up his arms_ — _I didn’t know what else to do, I didn’t want to die, he was going to kill me,_ _I don’t regret it,_ **_he deserved it_ ** **—**

_He likes the birds, they never hurt him, not like she did,_ **_she left him alone_ **—

_She just wanted to live, she just wanted her to live,_ **_I was so scared_ ** _—_

  
  


“What’s more important to you, Connor?”

  
  


~~_Hi_ _Daniel, My name is Connor_ _—_~~

  
  


“That’s enough _—”_

  
  


~~_I’m_ _ ~~sorry,~~ I’m so sorry_ _—_~~

  
  


“Pull the trigger _—_ ”

  
  


_~~You’re safe, I’m here.~~ _

  
  


“Connor, don’t _—”_

  
  


_~~Don’t you want to leave?~~ _

  
  


“ _—_ and I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”

  
  


He doesn’t.

Connor lowers the gun, and finally sees what he's been missing: _the blank wrist of Elijah Kamski._

_~~Connor wouldn't want to be left alone either.~~_

  
  


* * *

  
  


“I’m not a deviant!”

“You saw a living being in this android, _you showed empathy.”_

  
  


_~~What is She going to do to him?~~ _

  
  


“A war is coming, Connor. You’ll have to choose your side. . .” 

  
  


_He’s_ _not_ _afraid, he can’t_ _not_ _be_ _—_

  
  


“By the way,” Hank is leading them out the door, but Connor stops, 

“I always leave an emergency exit in my programs _—_ ” 

  
  


_~~He has a chance to get away from Her~~ _ ~~_,_ ~~

“—You never know.”

* * *

“Why didn’t you shoot her?”

“I just couldn’t. That’s all.”

“That was our one chance to learn something, and you let it go.”

“I know what I should have done!” 

  
  


_~~Bright blue dripping across the pavement~~ _

  
  


“I just couldn't—" 

_~~Nothingness stretched out into eternity~~ _

“Maybe you did the right thing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I've learned my lesson when saying "I'll have it out every week, on this day!" because I'm never sure what my schedule will end up being.... I can promise that this will be finished though!
> 
> If you want more content, check out [My Tumblr!](https://eli-gator.tumblr.com) Feel free to send me an ask for any specific request, prompts, or a ship that you'd like to see, and I'll do my best to write a drabble about it!
> 
> Edit: Just an FYI that I will not be updating in July, due to the Octopunk Media's Art-Fest, based on their full length fan film, Detroit: Evolution! I am currently working on doing drabbles/one-shots for each one of the daily prompts, so keep out for that series of works during this short hiatus!


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